Constitution

CONSTITUTION RULES

1. Title

The title of the Club shall be: Wesham Road Runners and Athletics Club

2. Objectives

The objectives of the Club shall be:

· To encourage the practice and development of amateur athletics.
· To provide coaching for the members and to organise competitions.
· To organise teams to represent the Club in Championships and Leagues and
in such other competitions as the Management Committee shall decide.

Membership shall be open to persons who are amateurs as defined by England Athletics and are 18 years of age or over. Membership for children under 18 years of age will only be considered if their parents/guardians are prepared to accept total responsibility for such children whilst attending Club meetings and at races.

Each applicant for membership must complete the official application form and pay the appropriate subscription before being elected by the Committee. Membership commences on the actual date of election by the Committee. The Committee reserves the right to refuse any applicantion.

4(a) Definitions of Membership

Full:

is an individual who is a first claim member of WRR & AC and has paid their subscription in full. They are allowed one vote at the AGM or any EGM.

Second Claim:

is an individual who is a member of another affiliated athletics Club who has paid a reduced subscription in full. They may partake in all activities agreed by the Committee but cannot win or affect the results of the Club Internal Championships. They are allowed one vote at the AGM or any EGM.

Social:

is an individual who chooses not to participate as a competitor in permitted events and has paid the reduced subscription in full. They will be able to compete in internally organised club events. They are allowed to vote at the AGM or any EGM.

Honorary Members:

Honorary Membership may be awarded at the discretion of the Committee from amongst persons who are not Full, Social or Second Claim Members.
Honorary Membership may be awarded for outstanding service rendered to the Club, or for any other appropriate reason.
Honorary Members shall neither hold office nor have voting rights.

Life Membership:

Life Membership shall be awarded at the discretion of the Committee from amongst persons who are Full, Social or Second Claim Members.
Life Membership may be awarded for outstanding service rendered to the Club.
Life Members shall have full voting rights as if they were a Full Member.

4(b)

Members of WRR will be encouraged to play an active role in supporting the club when called upon and where possible.

All the aforementioned shall be elected at the AGM and remain in office until the AGM of the following year. The Committee shall also have power to elect up to three other persons to serve as full Committee Members or to fill any vacancy occurring during the Committee’s term in office, from within the current club membership.

6. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of February for the purpose of:

i. Receiving the Annual Report of the Committe

ii. Receiving the Audited Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet.

iii. Electing the Officers and Committee for the ensuing year.

iv. Electing the Honorary Auditors.

v. Considering any amendments to the Constitution Rules of which due notice has been given to all Members. The Chairperson or Honorary Secretary must receive any proposed change to a Constitution Rule by a member at least 21 days prior to the date of the AGM in order that all members shall have sufficient notice of the proposal. At least 14 days’ notice shall be given to members of the date, venue and agenda items for the AGM. Each fully paid-up member eligible to vote, present at the meeting, shall have one vote.

7. Affiliations

The club shall seek to be affiliated to England Athletics, and to such other Amateur Athletic bodies as the Management Committee consider appropriate in order to carry out the objectives of the Club.

8. Subscriptions

The amount of the annual subscriptions for the next financial year shall be determined by the Committee and presented for members’ approval at the AGM. Full membership will include an appropriate amount to be paid to England Athletics to obtain an individual’s Competition Licence card.

The Club’s Financial Year will run from the 1st January to the 31st December each year.

New members will pay a full subscription on joining the Club. Any new member joining the Club later in the financial year will be required to pay a reduced subscription as determined by the Committee.

Current Members’ subscriptions must accompany a Renewal Form for continued membership and given to the Membership Secretary by the last day of April of that financial year. Any member who fails to pay their subscription in full by this date will automatically have their membership suspended. Therefore they will not be eligible to partake in any of the Club’s functions nor will they be considered for any Club Championships for that year and any previous merits will be cancelled. Payment after this date must still be in full and full Club rights will be reinstated, except for the winning of any of the Club Championships.

9. Non-payment of Subscriptions

The Committee shall have the power to expel any member whose subscription is twelve months in arrears, providing that one month’s notice, in writing, has been sent to such member by Registered or Recorded Delivery, addressed to the member’s last known address informing of the proposed action of the Committee. England Athletics shall be informed of the name and address of any person expelled from the Club who shall enter their name in a book to be called The Suspension Book kept for that purpose. Every person whose name has been entered into The Suspension Book shall be suspended from entering or competing as a WRR & AC member at any such meeting held under UKA Rules until the liability, causing the expulsion, which shall not exceed one year’s membership subscription, shall be discharged.

10. Resignations

Any member wishing to resign must do so in writing, addressed to the Membership Secretary. The resignation shall be considered by the Committee within one calendar month of receipt and will be held as effective on the date of tendering. Resignations may not be accepted if the member is financially indebted to the Club, i.e. has not paid their subscriptions for the current year and acceptance will be withheld until the debt has been discharged. Any member who fails to pay their subscription in full by the 1st January of the following year shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club.

11. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

The Chairperson or Honorary Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting within one month of the receipt of a requisition signed by at least ten members, stating the purpose of the meeting. At least fourteen days notice shall be given to all fully paid-up members of the date, venue and purpose of an Extraordinary General Meeting. No other business shall be conducted at such a meeting.

12. Constitution Amendments

No Constitution Rule may be altered, added to or deleted except at an AGM, or at an EGM called for that purpose, and then only by a two thirds majority of those present and who are entitled to vote in accordance with Sections 4 and 4(a).

13. Meetings

i. The Committee has the power to call a Members’ Meeting as and when required.
ii. There will be a Club run every Monday, starting around 7.00 p.m.
iii. A Handicap Run will be organised each month for those wishing to take part.
iv. The Committee, prior to notification of the meeting, will decide the venue of the AGM.

14. Members

It is the responsibility of any member to decide whether to represent Wesham as their first choice Club. If any member is a previous Member of any other Club, that Club must be notified in writing that the new Member to Wesham wished to transfer his/her first choice option. No Member who has another Club as first choice option may represent Wesham as a team Member until such time as clearance is given by the appropriate authority following the completion of any suspension decreed necessary by that body.

15. Management Meeting

There will be a management meeting, if deemed necessary, each month. Members not on the Committee may be co-opted for advice or expertise, but will not have a vote at the Committee Meeting.